Wolfgang Winter has joined the Savoy Group, the publicly quoted hotel
and restaurant chain, as its director of group press and public
relations.
Winter, who took up the post two weeks ago, replaces previous incumbent
Lucinda Buxton, who left the company in June to pursue family
commitments.
He joins from independent hotels association Relais and Chateaux where
he was latterly North American general manager, based in New York.
Before that he headed communications for the association at its
headquarters in Paris.
Leading a team of five, including three press officers, Winter will head
up media relations for the Savoy Group and co-ordinate the work of its
various agencies, which include Lowe Bell in the UK for financial PR.
Winter will also oversee internal communications for the group’s 1,900
staff across its five hotels and three restaurants.
Winter told PR Week that he would seek to promote the benefits of the
group’s recent restoration of its flagship Savoy Hotel and attempt to
tap new client markets in Russia, eastern Europe and the Far East.
Unveiled last month, the restoration of the Savoy is part of a pounds 62
million refurbishment of the group’s four London hotels. Claridge’s, the
Berkeley and the Connaught are also due extensive makeovers. The group’s
interim results for the six months to June saw a 40 per cent rise in
profits to pounds 4.9 million.
